September 27, 2007...10:49 am

The bardo - dedicated to Joshua

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Every now and then we do some daring things.  And this is one of them

This is about music that comes from another place or part of ourselves.  In 1999 my teenage son suicided.  A short time after I decided to express my emotions through music and I locked myself in a room for an hour with a guitar, an Adat and a mixer.  I recorded what at the time was to be a solo guitar piece called ‘the bardo’.  The bardo is a Tibetan Bhuddist term that I call the ‘gap between the worlds’.   The piece is rather loose in structure and it is in DADGAD tuning.  I felt the piece wasn’t quite finished so i recorded the second track. It was hard to follow the first track because it is quite loose.   I happened to have a  synth  module on hand, so I recorded a few effects that represent the sounds floating around in the Bardo.

I built the guitar at a guitar making workshop in 1994, it has a Dana Bougeois pickup system and it plugged straight into the desk.  There is a bit of distortion here and there because at the time I was more interested in quickly capturing the emotion that wanted to come out.

I have uploaded the file.  If you’d like to hear it.  It’s a musical poem of the heart and I’ve only ever played it to a couple of people because of the fragility of the situation. 

 There is a gentle eeriness to it but that’s fine I guess.

 It can be downloaded from this address http://www.the-acoustic-guitar.com/sound/the_bardo.mp3  

The best option on a windows machine is Right Click> save Target As> decide where you want to save it > save >

 or If  SNAP Shots is runing on your computer, when you mouse over the player will pop up.

Tony Hogan

26 Comments

Filed under MUSIC, acoustic, acoustic guitar

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26 Comments

  • Yvonne Rose
    September 27, 2007 at 11:03 pm

    This piece has a purity and flow that brings peace and joy to the listener, thank you for sharing this with the world.
    Yvonne :)

  • Tony Hogan
    September 30, 2007 at 12:30 am

    Hey thanks for your kind words Yvonne

  • kab625
    October 1, 2007 at 10:46 pm

    This is the second time I’ve come back to listen. It’s simply beautiful. I can’t qualify it any further.

    Wow, this time it’s playing on my windows media player, so I can save it. Now you’re a part of my household!

  • acousticguitarist
    October 1, 2007 at 10:53 pm

    Thanks K

    Hope you enjoy it… the original idea for this song came out of me in the South of India and it grew into a song for my son.

    For me, it’s like looking into another world

    T

  • kab625
    October 2, 2007 at 12:33 am

    I understand…it conveys. You’re welcome.

  • Murray Browne
    October 3, 2007 at 1:41 am

    Tony, that is really beautiful, touching music. I’m very glad you rang back last night, keep pursueing your breakthroughs! Ironically it is our youngest daughter’s 18th today. At times we complain about our kids’ behaviour and traits. However, after reading your news I have nothing to complain about. We all have a message for each other and you had one for me. Thank you.

  • Christopher
    October 3, 2007 at 10:19 am

    Agreed this is good.

    Funny before I came across your site I was reading some other information and on the television, that’s watching me, was the American Legacy Guitar By Esteban (infomercial). I was actually sitting her contemplating a purchase. Listening to you adds even more inspiration.

    Truly sorry about your lost, however, your son still lives through the words on this post and the sounds of your guitar.

  • acousticguitarist
    October 3, 2007 at 10:31 am

    Hey Christopher

    thanks for the nice words.

    no need to be sorry…the things we love live in our hearts

    TH

  • MulledVine
    October 6, 2007 at 2:13 pm

    Very beautiful and sad.

  • acousticguitarist
    October 6, 2007 at 10:10 pm

    Thanks for the comments, I like the ‘beautiful’ bit

    Tony

  • cheznaz
    October 7, 2007 at 6:05 pm

    Serene and beautiful—but I feel sad too. Is it possible for me to feel your “then” pain now?
    Thank you for sharing.

  • acousticguitarist
    October 8, 2007 at 11:51 am

    Thanks Chez. i really apreciate your comments and I’m sure it’s possible to capture emotions in music.

    tony

  • acousticguitarist
    October 8, 2007 at 11:58 am

    I am adding a comment that came thru my email about the piece of music. It comes from a friend Alan that has been my best friend for 34 years

    Antonio…I listened to the piece you posted, you’ve done with music what was perhaps too difficult to put into words and more importantly where words just can’t express the emotion that come from the depths of our being. It’s beautiful and sad.

  • Carla Stey
    October 11, 2007 at 7:18 am

    Tony, it.s indeed a musical poem from the heart, thanks for sharing.

  • james lee stanley
    October 11, 2007 at 5:52 pm

    yo tony, thanks for the music, the site and for actually picking up a copy of “all wood and stones”
    see you when we finally get “down under”
    james lee stanley
    http://www.jamesleestanley.com

  • sally
    October 11, 2007 at 9:31 pm

    Its a beautiful song and sad and soulful and ….all the things music should be evocative and spatial- honest. listening too it on my new mac book …glad that you have made it into the digital void we should fill space with beauty….love is eternal xxxxx

  • acousticguitarist
    October 12, 2007 at 3:30 am

    thanks for dropping by Sally

    Sally manages an outstanding band called gotan project. Check them out at
    http://www.gotanproject.com/

    gotan are not an acoustic guitar band, but if you want musical inspiration nit’s worth listening to lots ovarious styles

  • acousticguitarist
    October 12, 2007 at 3:37 am

    great to have james lee stanley drop in to my blog, acoustic guitar players that have ben around for a while will know him

    read this excerpt from his blog :

    I’ve shared the stage with Stephen Stills, Robin Williams, Chicago, Bonnie Raitt, Bill Cosby, Steven Wright, Nicolette Larson, Poco, Dionne Warwick, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Sandra Bernhardt, Robin Trower, the Dixie Dregs, Chick Corea, Freddie Hubbard, Ramsey Lewis, Jeff Lorber, Cecilio and Kapono, Michael Smith, John Hiatt, Corky Siegel, Tom Dundee, Batdorf&Rodney, Tom Paxton, Mary Travers, John Prine, Commander Cody, Peter Tork, Phil Collins, Art garfunkel, David Crosby, Leo Kottke, and John Batdorf. And maybe a hundred others too numerous to mention.

    http://www.jamesleestanley.com/

  • acousticguitarist
    October 12, 2007 at 3:40 am

    thanks for the comments carla stey and the inspirational art blog

  • Krysia
    October 18, 2007 at 9:31 am

    That is such an exquisite piece of music Tony. It just melts my heart - really it does. You most certainly know how to access that place inside that holds it all - thanks for taking me there.
    Lots of love, Krysia

  • realfoodforlife
    October 28, 2007 at 12:15 am

    Touching! Having 4 daughters I can understand! As a Christian I believe that once we are united to God through His Son Jesus Christ, The first death, while painful to those left behind, is the continuation of Eternity with God and all who are in Him by faith.
    Grace and Peace,
    Ed

  • Kevin Goodman
    February 13, 2008 at 5:28 pm

    Timeless

  • machinehuman
    April 25, 2008 at 2:40 am

    Beautiful. You’re a marvelous guitar player. Thanks for sharing this song.

  • acousticguitarist
    April 26, 2008 at 8:20 am

    Thanks Machine

    I appreciate your comments

    Tony

  • Mark Antony
    May 17, 2008 at 8:16 pm

    Very sorry to hear of the passing of your son, Tony. The piece has good atmosphere, with a kind of restless undercurrent, portraying emotions of conflict.

  • billy
    June 11, 2008 at 7:37 pm

    BEAUTIFUL, SAD, SPIRITUAL, PALPABLE

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